A novel friendship

Ruskin Bond feels being alone is accepted as an individual seeks it, while loneliness is the curse of being alone without a companion when a person yearns for a friend.

Mega vision  diagnostic scan and X-ray centre  is a popular one located a little away from a Mosque near Nigdi Bus Stop in  Pune. It is accessible through Pradhikaran too. My annual sonograph to check multiple fibrosis was due for long. A faculty meet and development programme in the afternoon gave me some  free time in the morning. I took a quick decision and raced through the by lanes on my scooter to reach the place. The intention was to be the first and return back soon. In my enthusiasm, I had raced a little ahead of the place. I tried turning back with a little effort as the road was inclined. It was eight in the morning, but the whole locality was quiet. There was a voice from nowhere saying ‘it opens at nine’. I turned to glance at the person. She slowly walked towards me with a file and a bag and said that she was also waiting for the centre to open. She seemed middle aged and was draped in a saree and carried a grave expression on her face, yet there was a charm which attracted me towards her.We waited for a while in one of the rooms. There was a maid who was cleaning. A little later as people began gathering, we went towards the gate leading towards the scan and X- ray centre. By now the lady was almost a good friend. She had come for a Xray of her backbone. She explained her entire journey of pain leading to a kind of spondylitis. She then asked me about my problem. I was in two minds whether to begin my expedition of problems or just tell her that it was a regular sonograph, but before I could speak I saw a radiologist come in. We waited for some more time for the gates to open. We then went into a clearing adjoining the Xray department and a sonography room. Many people can get their scan taken at an instant because of many cubicles with sonography machines installed. 

We paid the fees and sat there in the lounge. She now quickly pulled out a smart phone and showed me her daughter’s dance photographs, and then showed me the photographs of her son who she said was just eight years old. She said that she was a little above forty years old but seemed worried about her health. I just gave her an empathetic listening. I learnt that even this helps people overcome their pain. She asked me doubtfully ‘you must be having  grown up children’, I nodded and approved. She kept saying ‘what if the result says that there is a swelling in my vertebral column’, I smiled and said, 'everything must be alright, please don’t worry and be positive’. She said that off late with the disease gnawing her, she was terribly worried. She said she wanted her husband to accompany, but he had left her and gone back home. She looked at me, I said my husband was managing the home as the maid comes early. She asked me whether I was not frightened. I was praying God that everything should be normal, but felt she needed greater assurance then. I smiled and said that we enjoy what we have today rather than think about what is going to happen. She quickly took my telephone number and said that she was an entrepreneur who managed a shop at Pimpri.

 By now she seemed a little more confident. She told me that as soon as we finish our tests we will have the coffee she was carrying in a flask. The lady at the counter called her, she left her bag with a nod. The sonography machinery was still being started, the Doctors moved idly while I kept praying God to help me get through. She came out after fifteen minutes. The sonography machines were still not ready. People were drinking water with a retaliation as a scan needs that. She smiled and heaved a sigh saying its over. I was called in and luckily as the doctor read out the measurements I heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed ok. 

On coming out I rushed to go, she was still waiting but rushed out along with me. She said her husband would come, but she would get her report in another fifteen minutes. She caught hold of my hand and looked deep in my eyes with an approving thanks and asked me to drink coffee. I knew she needed a companion, but it was late and I had to rush back to home. She pulled me to a small Saibaba temple at the cross roads saying ‘let us pray Baba, he does wonders’. I stood there with her. Faith moves people while building up courage. I waved her and started my scooter, only to find a hand resting on my arm saying, ‘do not  drive hastily, take care’. As I drove I wondered how people bond with each other in adversities. It compelled me understand that those few minutes of difficulty needed assurance that we still had life to look forward to.  Perhaps it was mere strengthening of bonds of love and affection between two lonely people by being there for each other without hurting sentiments reminding me

 “None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have Faith.” ― Paulo Coelho, Brida